This invention relates to panel assemblies with molded peripheral casings or gaskets and fastening means for securing such assemblies in supports. More specifically, the invention relates to a panel assembly such as a composite window assembly for vehicles including fasteners which secure the assembly as a unit in a vehicle after molding.
In recent years, window assemblies for vehicles have progressed from individually assembled units built up from separate parts on the vehicle to unitary, modular designs which are completely preassembled as a unit and can be applied as a unit from the exterior of a vehicle in a single operation. Such assemblies provide considerable savings in time and cost. In addition, savings in weight, and thus fuel consumption, for the resulting vehicle have been obtained with such assemblies because of the lighter weight resinous plastic materials which can be used to manufacture the units.
Various types of fasteners for securing such modular assemblies to vehicles or other supports have been proposed. Some have included continuous peripheral metal frames as well as individual metal fasteners separately embedded in a molded casing surrounding the peripheral edge of a window glass and projected through an opening in the vehicle body for securement with fasteners on the interior of the vehicle. Other prior known fasteners have included two parts including some type of anchoring member inserted in the molded peripheral casing of the window unit and to which an attaching or securing member is glued or otherwise affixed after molding of the window unit.
Problems have been encountered in using the prior known fasteners. In some cases, the fasteners were not securely retained in the molded casing. In other situations, the fasteners obstructed proper movement of molding material in and around the fastener preventing proper embedding. In yet other instances, the fasteners did not provide adequate attachment to the vehicle body. Greater expense was encountered with the above mentioned two piece fasteners which required the extra step of mounting the attaching structure to the anchor in the molded casing. Such two part constructions also left doubt as to the integrity of the joint between the attaching member and anchor.
A related problem was encountered in positioning and locating fasteners in mold assemblies during molding of the window units. Locating the fasteners to extend from the precise position in the window unit for proper registry with openings in the vehicle body is critical. Many difficulties were found in holding the fasteners in position within a mold cavity after the mold sections were closed and during injection of the molding material. The pressure of the injected material tended to move the fasteners from their preset locations. In some cases, movement of the molding material was obstructed such that the fasteners were not properly embedded in the molded casing allowing them to loosen or pull free from the window unit. This resulted in leakage around the window assembly on the vehicle, removal of the window unit by vandals, or other failure in the attachment of the window to the vehicle. Also, keeping the overall size and complexity of a mold assembly to a minimum while providing for proper positioning and location of fasteners for embedding within the molded casings of the windows was also desired.
The present invention was designed to satisfy the above problems and to provide a strong, secure, properly positionable fastener and resulting panel assemblies including such fasteners for vehicles or other products where molded panel assemblies are needed.